The ‘Niwot’ black raspberry is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor starting in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and continuing in Longmont, Colo.
The ‘Niwot’ black raspberry originated from ancestry consisting of two selections from uncultivated areas, called W1 and W2 for purposes of this description. W1 and W2 described in the instant invention are the identical selections also designated as W1 and W2 for the description of ‘Explorer’ in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,727.
The black raspberry plant described herein as W1 was a primocane-fruiting black raspberry plant discovered by the inventor in the autumn of 1986 in an overgrown but previously landscaped residential area in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and collected in the spring of 1988. W1 exhibited a reliable primocane-fruiting habit over the several years observed, but it had small berries and a small number of berries on each primocane, so it was not commercially useful.
The black raspberry plant described herein as W2 was the asexually propagated progeny of a black raspberry plant discovered in an uncultivated area near Rogers, Ark. and collected in the summer of 1991. W2 demonstrated an unusually large berry size for an uncultivated black raspberry. W2 did not exhibit the primocane-fruiting trait.
Selection numbered S3 was selected by the inventor in September 1993 from a population of seedlings grown in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. from open-pollinated seeds of W1. S3 was selected for producing higher quality floricane berries and larger primocane berries compared to berries of W1.
The controlled cross numbered 9866 was W2×S3 made by the inventor in Longmont, Colo. in May 1998 using floricane flowers. W2 was the seed parent, and S3 was the pollen parent. F1 generation seedling numbered 9866.2 was selected by the inventor in June 2002 from a population of 9866 cross seedlings grown in Longmont, Colo. Selection 9866.2 was selected for large, attractive floricane berries.
The F2 generation seedling numbered 9866.2.A that is the parent of the instant invention was grown in a cultivated area in Longmont, Colo. and selected by the inventor in July 2004 from a population of seedlings grown from open-pollinated seeds of 9866.2. Selection 9866.2.A was selected for large, attractive floricane berries. Selection 9688.2 and 9866.2.A did not exhibit the primocane-fruiting trait.
None of the numbered selections W1, W2, S3, 9866, 9866.2, and 9866.2.A was named or patented.
The black raspberry in the instant invention was selected by the inventor from a population of seedlings grown by the inventor from open-pollinated seeds of 9866.2.A in a cultivated area in Longmont, Colo. The F3 generation seedling selection numbered 9866.2.A.4 was selected in June 2006 for large floricane berries. At the time of floricane selection, floricane berries weighing up to 2.4 g were observed. Selection 9866.2.A.4 was reselected in August 2006 for a productive crop of large primocane berries. At the time of primocane selection, berries weighing up to 3.7 g were observed. The selection number was abbreviated to PT-2A4 during asexual propagation and evaluation trials, then later named ‘Niwot’ after a village in the vicinity of the inventor's garden.
‘Niwot’ is distinguished from its parent 9866.2.A by its large floricane berries and its primocane-fruiting trait.
The primary market for ‘Niwot’ black raspberry plants is expected to be home growers, U-pick growers, farmers-market growers, and specialty-food growers for production of fresh black raspberries in both the early summer season and the late summer to early autumn season.